Photos of the year - Ruth Bonneville 2012

He ain't heavy...he's my brother
Griffin, 13, has been carrying his brother Tyler, who has cerebral palsy, ever since he can remember. In between school activities and playing hockey seven times a week, Griffin makes time to shovel Tyler's wheelchair ramp, get him dressed in the morning, help prepare his breakfast and medications. On some occasions, he pulls him to school on a sled. This day I caught Griffin lifting him out of his car seat and briskly carrying him across the schoolyard so he could spend some time with him on the play structure before heading to class. When asked if he ever wished he didn't have to do all this stuff for Tyler, Griffin's eyes well up as he quickly replies, "No, I don't, he's my brother and I love him very much. I will do this for him any day. There is no other way to describe it."
I chose this image as my favourite photograph of the year because to me it's a picture of pure love in action.
- Ruth Bonneville

Griffin shares a quiet moment with his seven-year-old brother Tyler who has cerebral palsy. - for ongoing series on the class of 2017
May 28, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Young brothers Silla Musaka, 3 (blue), and Manuel ,4, laugh and giggle as they play in the snow outside their home. Their parents are from Africa and have adapted well to their new life in Canada. January 17, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

A plane lands on Assiniboine Avenue in a snow storm! That's the premise for the movie "The Christmas Heart" which was being filmed on Assiniboine Avenue at Woodhaven Wednesday evening. Fake rolls of snow had to be laid along the street as a snow machine creates the look of a snow storm. March 14, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Clint Beardy sits pensively in his log cabin that he built with some friends next to his house in Lake St. Martin. Beardy refused to leave his land during flooding last spring and fought hard on his own to save it. He never plans on leaving this land, which he believes belongs to his ancestors and has deep roots, no matter what the band or federal government decide to do. April 05, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Michael Manning, father of Tara Manning, killed by Gregory Bromby in Quebec in 1994, is moved to tears while speaking about his daughter. Bromby was seeking day parole at a meeting in Winnipeg but was turned down. January 18, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Portrait of Leslie Spillet is the executive director of Ka Ni Kanichihk, a community-based services centre. They developed a support program for families of missing and murdered women in Manitoba. Spillet sits next to a paiting by Jackie Traverse depicting a event honoring missing and murdered women called "Wiping Away the Tears" See Randy Turner Story Nov 14 , 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Werner Wersh, a neighbour to Lois and Lorne Downey, surveys the piles of burning rubble which is all that remains of the Downey's homestead near Teulon, Manitoba after a grass fire got out of control and burned down their house, barn, RV and work shop. April 06, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

10-year-old Keanna Stagg, right, and 13-year-old Daniel Sinclair hang out on top of a long dike that runs along the road through their community of St. Martin Thursday afternoon. The dike has been there since last spring when the community was evacuated due to flooding, leaving the community disconnected and split across the province with some members still living in hotels in Winnipeg. April 05, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A group of elementary kids smile as they stop for a quick photo while hitting the ice at Ebb and Flow arena after school. January 25, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Crowds of wide-eyed children gather with their famiilies along Portage Avenue Saturday evening for the annual Santa Claus Parade. Three-year-old Summer Tomchuk enjoys playing games on Portage during the block party which took place just prior to the parade. November 17, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Eight-year-old Kharsun Khamvongsa competes at the 1st Canadian All Martial Arts Open Tournament held at Maples Collegiate Saturday. The young Canadian National martial arts team member went on to win the Grand Champion trophy in his division.
November 24, 2012
(Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Caelin White, a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Manitoba, is involved with advocacy work for mental health patients. After qualifying for the World's Toughest Mudder competition in New Jersey, he decided to use the race to raise awareness and advocacy for mental health patients. The 24-hour extreme endurance race, considered to be one of the toughest physical challenges, not only tests your agility, strength, endurance and stamina, it tests you mentally - which he parallels with someone who is dealing with mental health issues. September 29, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A blonde terrier pokes his nose through the cage as he whines at the pound Tuesday morning. The City of Winnipeg Animal Adoption Agency is holding an adoption sale. May 15 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A pelican lifts its head to swallow a fish that it just caught while swimming in turbulent waters near Selkirk Locks Wednesday morning.
May 23, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Assiniboine Park Conservancy gardener Jaime Chavez tries to get out of the spray from a sprinkler system in the Formal English Flower Gardens in the park Saturday. July 07, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville Winnipeg Free Press)

Jockey Jennifer Reid spends some quiet time at Assiniboia Downs stables with "Lake Sawyer" - the horse she won the Wheat City Stakes with during a winning streak last weekend. July 11 2012 (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

97-year-old military veteran Joe Kutcher, also known as "Digger Joe," surrounds himself in his quaint suite with time pieces he has made from various pieces of scrap wood, and metal objects he has found over the years. April 26, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

The wings of a monarch butterfly flutter as it hovers above a flower in the Kildonan Park flower gardens Saturday morning. August 25, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A water lily in full bloom is reflected in the pond at the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden Tuesday afternoon. September 11, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)
(Winnipeg Free Press)

Outer construction nears completion as the last piece of glass is installed on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
September 20, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Construction crews working on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights form a human chain to remove each level of scaffolding.
September 20, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A member of the WPS Underwater Search and Recovery Unit comes out of the water covered in reeds while searching for a man that is believed to have drown on July 16 in the pond at Albina Park. July 17, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville Winnipeg Free Press)

The warmth of the sun slowly burns away the low-lying fog that surrounded a group of horses at Murdock Stables Tuesday morning. October 16, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

87-year-old John Clark makes his way across Portage Avenue at Vaughan Street with his walker and a small bag of groceries that he purchased at the grocery store in the basement at The Bay downtown. Clark doesn't drive and is worried about where he will be able to buy groceries once the grocery store closes. October 16, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A duck spreads its wings to lift itself out of the ice that has formed around it on the Assiniboine Park Duck Pond Saturday morning. November 10 , 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

The hairs on a thistle alongside the banks of the Assiniboine River glow as the sun sets across the river near Omands Creek Thursday. November 15, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

Harry Black, president of Pan Am Boxing & Athletic Club, sits on the third floor of Pan Am Place, the soon-to-be completed home for at-risk youth. June 05, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A supermoon brightens the Golden Boy on top of Manitoba's Legislative Building Saturday evening. The supermoon is the largest full moon of the year and occurs when the it coincides with the moon's closest pass to the Earth.
May 05 2012 (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Water from the La Salle river cascades down the face of the concrete walls of the falls at La Barriere Park Tuesday as temperatures rise above normal for this time of year. January 3, 2011 (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

10-year-old Rielly Drummond has a spring in her step as she skips along the River Walk with her dad Antoine after their trip to the Forks for Fish and Chips. March 14, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

A lone tree stands next to a dirt road off Hwy 1 near Starbuck, Manitoba Saturday. November 10, 2012 (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press)

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments.
All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments.
All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.